DOJ now reports that harlequin ducks and sea otters that had appeared vulnerable to the lingering oil have recovered to pre-spill population levels and are no longer exposed to oil more than populations outside the spill area.

"Hurricane Katrina is, indeed, part of this story," said UCI Earth system scientist James Randerson, senior author on the paper. "The ocean conditions that led to a severe hurricane season in 2005 also reduced atmospheric moisture flow to South America, contributing to a once-in-a-century dry spell in the Amazon."

"Thanks to these projects, thousands of acres of degraded habitats will be restored or improved so that wildlife can thrive. We're proud of the fact that our company succeeds when the environment is restored," said Joel Shapiro, CEO of Timbervest LLC.

Linked to earthquakes, water contamination, and general pollution, fracking becomes more controversial by the day. Meanwhile, 13,000 new wells are being drilled every year. There have been over a thousand documented cases of water contamination next to areas of gas drilling—cases of sensory, respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological damage. From the water we drink to the ground beneath our feet, is it too late to ask, “What gives?”

The State of Maine Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting applications and proposals for wetland improvements and restoration. The projects should include ideas for dealing with climate change and floods, as well as ways to help improve wildlife habitats.

The energy giant announced that its U.S. upstream subsidiary, BP Exploration and Production Inc., has executed the agreements with the U.S. federal government and five Gulf Coast states -- Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, adding that they include settlement of claims made by more than 400 local government entities.

The Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of Agriculture (USDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) recently recognized three new collaborative landscape partnerships across the country, which will help prepare natural resources combat climate change.

The event was staged to call awareness to increased poaching that is rapidly pushing populations of African elephants, rhinos, and other species toward extinction, according to the Interior Department.

Tens of thousands of liters of spilled oil from a broken underground pipeline threatened protected waters and wildlife on California's southern coast Wednesday, as US federal and local authorities rushed to contain its spread.

"With our customers' environmental expertise, plus funding, PIG products, and leadership, we believe this program can make measurable improvements in communities around the country," said Doug LaPlante, New Pig's vice president, Strategy.